The Storm God - A Mini Narrative Campaign

Most enlightened Sir,

I write with grave and worrying news. The heretic Rumpolt Staudinger has somehow escaped his imprisonment. His trial was still ongoing and upon a routine inspection his jailors found his cell to be empty and the only evidence that it had ever been occupied was this scrawled warning on the wall.

‘A storm approaches. The heavens will be ripped asunder and the thunderous racket will awaken the slumbering Storm God. Dread Sharunock, Aarakturious. Glorious Elazar rouses his immortal servant for the war to come. Fear the storm!’

The man's insane rambling never seem to cease... I have dispatched riders as news reached me today that he has been sighted journeying north, sharing his mad prophecy with all who will listen. I pray that Sigmar will guide my men in recapturing the so-called Prophet of Elazar! Then I shall turn my attention to the distressing question of how a man as old and weak as Staudinger was able to escape...

Yours,
Aldebrandt Veit
Witch Hunter Captain

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Krakanrok The Black made a bargain with the Chaos Gods to buy his race's immortality, in exchange they offered their eternal servitude to their Gods' armies. Aarakturious, kin of Krakanrok and his children was present that fell day and played his own part in the outcome. Aarakturious has long since returned to his slumber, rousing occassionally after the most destructive of storms, ready to make war at the dark gods' calling.
The name of Aarakturious appears in the histories of the old world on numerous occasions over the centuries. The most well-known mention though is in the legend of King Arnaldo…
Arnaldo was a Tilean who like so many sought a new life in the Border Princes. Of relatively high birth and upbringing he quickly rose to prominence in the colonies there. In the aftermath of a particularly brutal raid by Norscan pirates Arnaldo was made King of the budding port city of Gaderloc, on the Black Gulf. Whilst the legends all differ on its source, they all agree that the crown set upon his head was made from the purest gold and decorated with the most prized gems and also that it was magical in nature. Arnaldo went from a gifted young thinking man to a wise and powerful king. Indeed when the Norscan Hamund Gorebeard returned the next spring to raid the port Arnaldo met him in combat and bested him. Soon after, Arnaldo led an expedition north into the wastes. The stories say he wanted to subject the Norscans to their own devilry but the truth is unknown now. Whilst in the bitter lands of the north Arnaldo and his force had the misfortune of encountering the ancient Shaggoth, Aarakturious. Arnaldo was slain by the titanic beast and most of his army too. Those that returned told tales of the crown and the beast that had slain its wearer. They told of how the Shaggoth had taken the crown and wore it on his belt as a trophy.

Spies and informants whisper of Rumpolt's insane prophecies. Most write his words off as madness. But amongst some, the fires of ambition are stoked. The legend of King Arnaldo speaks of the value of his crown. Slaying the beast Aaracturious would be a deed to match the greatest heroes of legend. The wealth and power such things could bring a man are too hard to ignore...

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This is the intro fluff for the narrative campaign I'm running in the new year at my gaming club. More on this soon...